Book Reviews

Heaven Is Not the Last Stop

Exploring a New Revelation: A Vision for Personal Transformation, Spiritual Unity and Cultural Progress

Although some people think our era is ripe for divine revelation, Sheila Keene-Lund believes we’ve had that information for decades in the form of The Urantia Book, a spiritual text of unknown authorship from the early 20th century. Presented as a collection written by numerous celestial beings, the work covers an array of topics, from God and Jesus to history and cosmology.

Keene-Lund, who taught Transcendental Meditation for 15 years, discovered the book in 1992, and in a quest to disprove its claims, instead found herself on a deeply compelling spiritual path. After leading classes and workshops based on practical application of The Urantia Book’s concepts, she collected her insights and principles into this comprehensive action plan for anyone wishing to delve into the philosophy, theology, and cosmology offered by that earlier work.

“I know from personal experience that a clearer and more expanded perspective of our place in the universe can inspire a renewed and consecrated commitment to become one’s best for the sake of future generations,” she writes, adding that only this type of dedication on the part of each individual will advance collective peace and social progress.

That might sound like a tall order or at least a bold claim—change yourself, and the world changes—but Keene-Lund expertly presents complicated material in a way that makes her work much more of a guidebook than a philosophical work.

For example, in a chapter on humanity’s spiritual origin, she kicks off with thoughts on how reason and faith are two essential factors in the development of individual consciousness. Rather than being locked in battle, as some have opined, these concepts can be linked to create a harmonious whole that provides a bigger picture of existence. She then gives a stellar and concise account of faith and reason through the ages, with a clarity that would make an Ivy League professor jealous.

In addition to being extensively well-researched, Keene-Lund’s explorations cover an enormous breadth of topics, from the creation of the universe to the destiny of humanity to the development of emotional maturity. Throughout, she advances the belief that information is power, and that knowledge can translate into a closer connection with God.

She reconciles science with spirituality, and presents a cosmic worldview that’s intriguing, and should help her reach her major goal: “[T]o help readers deepen their relationship with God and expand their capacity to love selflessly.”